


Sila

by Konbini



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Dubious Consent, M/M, Russians made them do it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:15:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25981936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Konbini/pseuds/Konbini
Summary: The Russians are mad, madder even than Tommy Shelby could expect.Arthur, more or less, pays the price.John is just along for the ride.
Relationships: Arthur Shelby/John Shelby, Arthur Shelby/Tommy Shelby
Comments: 14
Kudos: 25





	Sila

'The Dangerous one'

There was a lot to be said about that. In Arthur's own opinion, it made them hone in on him like a target.

"Obey." Izabella had said, when he'd immediately balked at the instructions to remove his clothing.

And, it had only taken an -

"Obey, Arthur." (in John's mocking voice, but hadn't Tommy said it, just different words?)

From Tommy, to seal his fate.

Because Tommy's word was law, despite Arthur's continued show of resistance. Even John knew that. John, who was laughing at the command - half giddy and half awkward - waiting for Arthur to be convinced to strip, nearly seeming to preen himself.

"Come on, Arthur." John taunted, laughing, eyes roving in order to tease.

"Shut up, John." Arthur said shortly, angrily.

Arthur handled it how he always handled unexpected, sometimes humiliating and awful, occurrences. With aggression. He stripped off his shirt by pulling the buttons straight off. Inwardly deriding that if they wanted a show he'd give them one. A tantrum to show his reluctance, and his offense to these women who called themselves ladies.

It was made worse by John. Who, by nervous reaction no doubt, couldn't seem to contain his mirth. And Tommy, calmly watching, eyes unaverted in order no doubt not to appear weak. Tommy, who was keeping a close eye on Arthur - as if waiting for him to screw up - than he was on John. It almost seemed like concern, but Arthur doubted it.

John flexed, naked now, and Arthur stood with as much dignity as he could whilst only thus far managing his shirt. It took him forever to follow John, to take that final plunge and pull his pants down. He had to rally himself to even do it.

"Made in fucking Birmingham." Voice gruff, because in his nervousness he couldn't control it.

And it was horrible.

Horrible to have the eyes of these ladies inspecting him. And mostly, horrible to have John sneaking glances at him and Tommy smoking coolly but taking it all in, eyes even flickering down.

Arthur felt something like shame crawl through him.

It'd been years since the immediacy of poverty had made privacy scarce. Since they'd...seen him, and incidentally at that. They'd used to bathe together, too, as children. But this was so far removed from either of those things.

Arthur had never been the most confident among them. And somehow, the imbalance of being unclothed among the clothed was almost made worse by John at his side, who was pleasing and knew it.

"Alright, I think I've seen enough, eh?" Tommy began, with real authority, and the breath Arthur didn't know he was holding exhaled.

Because Tommy wouldn't stand for this any longer than he had to.

They were the fucking Peaky Blinders.

And then, things really went to hell.

As Tatiana knelt down in front of him, all Arthur could hear was John's loud guffaw of laughter next to him.

"Your face, Arthur, is a fucking picture." John barely managed containing his laughter as he said it.

And the words, in any other situation, might have made Arthur glow with fond warmth. But here, so teasing, they made him only embarrassed.

Not just embarrassed. Humiliated.

"Sometimes Assassins hide their allegiances behind their balls," was all the warning Tatiana gave before beginning.

And it was all Arthur could do to keep his composure. Breath deeply and try not to move, try to pretend it was nothing. Because surely to any other man this would be - should be - pleasurable? A beautiful woman and Arthur hated it and he just wanted Linda, quite suddenly.

Tommy was watching his face very closely, concern now unmistakable.

And John's laughter finally petered off as he, damn him, watched.

Arthur found he couldn't.

He squeezed his eyes shut as she fondled him. It couldn't get any worse, surely. Only, it did. He was relieved for only the space of a moment as she got off her knees. Because then she was touching him other places.

And he shouldn't react he knew that. Somehow though, and it was soft and quiet but in the room sounded loud, he moaned. Barely an exhale of breathe and then John was chuckling again, hysterical though it may be, and Arthur wanted to die.

And Tommy, Tommy was trying to meet his eyes. Trying to make sure that he could handle it. Arthur should be able to handle it. He was sure he could - for Tommy. John was handling it after all.

"You see?" Tatiana interjected, when Arthur didn't harden beneath her touch, "He wants to be a good man."

The statement struck a little closer to home than Arthur was expecting and he felt even more bare as she tried to rouse him. And he couldn't meet Tommy's eyes.

He couldn't stop the small, breathy moans at every stroke.

John had stopped laughing at the very least, but whether he was watching Arthur couldn't tell. He didn't have the courage to see. But he hoped not.

"Not quite." Tatiana lamented unkindly, unsatisfied.

Her hand slid around to his backside and Arthur gasped loudly, eyes shooting open, hand coming up to grasp at her elbow, as a probing finger pressed against him.

John was staring, it turned out, eyes glued down below and mouth parted. Arthur felt a fresh wave of humiliation crest.

Between that moment he'd gasped and the next she had pressed inside without warning.

Tommy, alarmed, sat ram rod straight but he didn't do anything. Arthur met his gaze, silently for help, but it was indecipherable it seemed until he got out a strangled,

"Tommy"

That forwarded Tommy into action.

John cast his gaze to Tommy for instructions.

"Duchess." Tommy warned, standing abruptly, but Izabella put a hand up to silence him.

And then, Tatiana began to move. Arthur had no explanation for why he didn't throw her aside. Other than his hands felt weak, like they couldn't close properly. Somehow, in further weakness, he'd leaned forward and Tatiana bore a portion of his weight against her shoulder.

He whined, like a frightened animal. Closed his eyes because he couldn't bear to see them watching, not his brothers. Another finger entered, moving expertly, and she seemed pleased now with him.

"But there now. There." Tatiana spoke, a moment before it truly came together, like a sixth sense.

In utter shame, the unthinkable happened, Arthur had finally roused. Like this. Like a woman. Like an animal. In front of kin.

"Get the fuck off of my brother." It wasn't Tommy who spoke, but John. When Arthur finally opened his eyes he could see any trace of mirth was gone.

The very air stood still.

There was a very soft click of a gun.

"I've decided, just now, that there is something I want." Tatiana spoke, as she drew away, though Izabella held the gun.

Izabella motioned for Tommy to join them at the other side of the desk.

"This is unnecessary." Tommy said, while complying, but he didn't really get a chance to work his magic because Tatiana wouldn't hear it.

And he probably could have disarmed the old woman but at that point he'd felt there was no further danger and had wanted, in a show of solidarity, to be near his brothers.

"Nothing dangerous. Nothing outside the terms of our agreement." Tatiana scoffed, as confident as if she was holding the gun.

She stepped around Tommy to join Izabella, the desk between them.

Tommy sighed, as if exasperated, as if he didn't recognize any danger in what she'd said.

Arthur did.

And he was glad their eyes were off him now. Although the lifted oppression did nothing to contain his sense of shame, his humiliation.

He felt he burned with it.

"I want Arthur over here." She said, pulling her own gun and raising it to point at Tommy.

She was smiling, playful almost.

For a moment Arthur wasn't sure that Tommy wasn't going to give him up. All for a deal. It was enough to make him choke on his outrage. But then Tommy simply said,

"No. I think you've had enough fun."

"Not nearly enough of it." She flirted back and then, the jewel that would topple Arthur, "If you want I could have my cossacks come into watch."

It was a threat. The thought of it - being exposed to strange men - had Arthur reeling. To know that they would know what had just happened, because surely she would tell them, was unbearable. 

"What do you want?" he almost couldn't make himself ask.

"To make you cum." She laughed, "Don't worry, we're not going to fuck. I'll only tug on you a little."

Arthur stepped forward reluctantly.

"Arthur." Tommy said, stopping him with a gentle hand.

"Let's get it done with." Arthur bit out, feeling a semblance of his old self return.

If he resisted and failed the test, Tommy would be cold with him after. He just knew it. If the deal fell apart it would be all on him.

"Don't you fucking laugh." Arthur warned John, who was incredibly sober now and on edge, before crossing to the other side of the desk.

Arthur maybe hadn't quite understood the extent of depravity of what the Russians were capable when Tommy had told him they were fucking insane. He understood it then, though, when immediately after crossing over two guns were on him, one on his temple, and Tatiana pushing him to bend over the desk.

"Don't - jumps on the hammer." from John and a small scuffle where John presumably held Tommy back, was all Arthur heard before Tatiana began laughing.

"Now, boys, we switch. You come over here, slowly, and we go over there." Her tone was ecstatic and that, more than anything, gave Arthur cause to worry.

Slowly she came to the front of the desk, but always the barrel of the gun was pressed to Arthur's temple. It kept him frozen, shame slowly eating at him.

"Now fuck him." she commanded.

At that, the cacophony of protests was too loud for Arthur's own to be heard. A gun went off and Arthur thought faintly that it might have been the one on him. But then Tatiana was laughing again.

"Izabella!" Tommy shouted in anger.

"Well, that startled me." Tatiana spoke, "I almost jumped and pulled the trigger."

"Fuckin' Russians." John spat.

"Tommy," Tatiana began slyly, "You know me. And I'm telling you to fuck your big brother."

"Why?" Tommy said, pale, running both his hands up through his hair in stress.

"You don't get to ask." That was Izabella.

"Oh fuck you!" John shouted.

"But since you were so polite," Tatiana started off sarcastically, "It's because he's the strong one. The dangerous one. We break him because we can, because we're stronger. But don't worry, you'll like it too. This is how Russian politics is done, right Tommy?"

"You don't fucking know him!" John began, voice loud, "He's sweet!"

"All the better." Tatiana quipped back.

Tommy was quiet throughout, thinking but presumably coming up with very little.

"Just fucking kill me then." Arthur spoke, pressing subtly against the barrel, "I won't do it."

"You won't, huh?" Tatiana asked casually, before addressing Tommy, "I think that means you had better get your brother under control, before he makes his own choice."

That more than anything got Tommy moving. Because he remembered what it was like when Arthur didn't want to live, and he had no doubt Arthur would rather be shot than let it happen. Would embrace it.

And Arthur resisted, the moment he felt Tommy's hands come to press him down. It was a bad angle though, and Tommy had conviction.

"I-I'm sorry Arthur." Tommy sounded startled as he said it.

Arthur remembered how calm Tommy had been when they'd come into the room. How he hadn't even been surprised at the women's requests.

"Were you expecting this?" Arthur asked, seriously, voice showing how betrayed he felt. Although, surely Tommy couldn't have known.

"No." Tommy answered.

He didn't get a chance to say more though because Tatiana was tsking.

"More fucking, less talking."

When Tommy faltered and failed to begin immediately there was another shot and then a hot barrel pressed behind Arthur's ear.

Arthur cried out in pain, hated that he had, but then Tommy's hand was holding him down by his neck to keep him still, the other one smoothing down his back.

"Careful." John was insisting, worried about the gun going off accidentally.

"Don't." Arthur pleaded.

"Lube." Tommy calmly requested, already back in control of himself. It had always been an eerie talent of his that Arthur could never replicate no matter how he tried.

"Spit on him, like he spit at my cossacks." Tatiana said cruelly.

"Fuck!" John cursed exaggeratedly, imbued with real helplessness. "Watch that fucking gun!"

Who the warning was for was unsure.

Then Tommy was undoing his trousers, spitting into his hand - and Arthur was shocked stock-still. His limbs felt numb, useless.

The sounds of Tommy preparing were traumatic if anything, Arthur was sure, but nothing compared to the slick, blunt, head of what could only be Tommy's cock pressing against that shameful place.

"I-I'm not ready!" Arthur spit out in panic.

It was too quick. Everything moving too fast. A nightmare.

But Tommy kept pushing. Kept pushing until the head popped through the tight ring of muscle. Arthur couldn't stop the wail that left him and Tommy had to lean his weight to hold him down.

"I bet it's been years since you fucked a virgin." Tatiana commented, brooding now and unamused.

Tommy's hips stuttered at the words but he halted his forward thrust, waiting.

"stop." Arthur begged quietly, turning his head this way and that which was only ceased by the hard grip on his neck moving up to the base of his skull.

"Be fucking careful." John whispered quietly, shaken.

"You heard him Arthur." Tommy said, stroking along Arthur's neck with his thumb to try and soothe him.

"I was talking to you." John said faintly.

"I will be."

And then Tommy was pushing again and it was just like with Tatiana - Arthur couldn't stop moaning, couldn't stop panting and gasping and he was out of air. It felt that way.

Tears stung Arthur's eyes and abated. Tommy slowly sheathing himself was work. He rocked minutely, easing his way in. Trying to breath evenly as Arthur clenched and writhed beneath him.

"It's too big." Arthur whimpered, panting like he'd run a race. "I-I can't. Please fucking stop Tommy."

"You're going to be okay. It's all going to be okay." Tommy said firmly, like he had a plan, like he was in control as always and Arthur tried to focus on that.

"okay..." Arthur said weakly, burying his face further into the hard, wooden desk, "okay Tommy."

Tommy spit more and that seemed to help.

"Good boys." Tatiana taunted, pulling a vial out and unstopping it with her teeth to pour over the place where they joined.

Tommy pulled out to get more of it on him. The slide in was easier, slicker, but still Arthur twisted about as Tommy seated himself, deeper than before. He couldn't help it.

"Arthur." Tommy warned, voice wavering the slightest bit, because it was beginning to be difficult to keep still and in control.

Arthur moaned loudly then as Tommy inched home. The tension eased out of him, and his whole body sunk further against the desk.

"How lovely." Tatiana commented, stroking Arthur's hair idly with the gun barrel.

And Arthur. Arthur was lost. His world narrowed down to the sharp heat in his gut, to the fullness inside him. His ass jutted out, unknown to him in his current state, to take Tommy deeper.

Most of all, he couldn't stop moaning.

"You know," Tatiana began, addressing Arthur, "Tommy likes his girls to ride him. He wants to make sure they're enjoying themselves, that they want it. You know who he doesn't fuck face to face? Who he fucks bent over desks? Whores."

Arthur moaned louder despite himself. He felt out of his mind. The soft, warm puff of breath on his back as Tommy cursed in Romani.

"Turn him over." Tatiana instructed, "That's no way to treat a big brother who's so generously letting you use him. I don't want him to forget who's fucking him."

Izabella stood watching with dark eyes.

Arthur was boneless, trembling, face red, as Tommy turned him. Tears in his lashes.

Their eyes met but Arthur's were unseeing, hazy.

"It's almost over." Tommy tried to comfort, touching Arthur's face.

When he pushed all the way back in Arthur shuddered, crying out faintly.

"Fuck." Tommy breathed out, closing his eyes to center himself against the onslaught. He didn't want to revel in it. It felt - was - too much like taking advantage to be enjoying the Russians twisted games. And in the back of his mind, Tommy knew he should have known better, should have anticipated, should have protected.

"Just fuck him. He wants it." Tatiana baited.

And they could all only be going mad because Tommy did. Pulled out to thrust back in hard, just to hear the moan it tore from Arthur.

"Gentle!" John protested angrily, "he has a fucking gun to his temple."

John quieted though when Arthur's gaze met his. A dreamy look on his face like he maybe didn't know where he was. John ought to have turned away. From the start though his eyes had been glued to the scene, to Arthur's degradation, and he found he couldn't stop watching.

Arthur's own cock bounced on his stomach as Tommy began to finally properly pound into him. The Duchess moved the gun a few millimeters away as if to acquiesce to John's request.

"Rather than blowing his brains out, I'd rather he have them fucked out." She explained haughtily when she found John caught the motion.

Then, Arthur was talking amongst the moans.

"Oh, Tommy..." until it became a litany, interspersed with hitched moans and heavy pants, "tommy, tommy, tommy,"

This, in turn, incensed Tommy, causing him to grasp Arthur's leg and maneuver it onto his shoulder from where it'd awkwardly been resting askew.

"Daddy" Arthur cried out finally, cumming all over himself, reaching for Tommy.

The word froze the room. Even Tommy stuttered back in surprise for the breadth of a second. It was broken by Tatiana's sharp, brittle laugh.

And it was strange, because Arthur was the namesake of their father, bore the closest resemblance. Tommy, it could be supposed, bore the next closest resemblance. John, none at all.

Finally Tommy spent and that's when Arthur began to regain his senses, Tommy panting over him. John could tell because quite suddenly, with dawning horror and realization on his face, he made a move to cover his face with his hands in shame.

Tommy pulled them back down though.

"None of that." He said, panting tiredly, leaning down to kiss Arthur's down turned mouth. But then Arthur softened to it, accepted the comfort shakily.

Arthur's leg was still on his shoulder and the downward motion only seemed to present an even greater erotic sight.

"Your turn, pretty one." Tatiana said.

"You can't be serious." Tommy interjected at once, sweaty now and rather disheveled.

"I-I can't." Arthur began, pleading, grasping at Tommy.

As if Tommy had the power to spare him.

That made Tommy smarten, and he focused on softening the blow of something he couldn't change.

"John'll take care of you, you know that." Tommy said carefully, as if Arthur was going to break, running a hand down the side of his face, "Be good, for Daddy, okay?"

It probably pained him to put it like that, John knew, but their Father had always been Arthur's weak spot. It was a twisted way to use it against him. It would scathe him, no doubt. But he'd be safe.

Tommy stepped back and John stepped forward, mindful of leaving Arthur unencumbered too long.

Arthur curled in on himself though, when John approached. He seemed to be stuck between coming to his senses and further wallowing in the present without thought beyond.

"Now, won't you open those pretty legs for me Arthur?" John cajoled, running his hands idly down them. Trying to gentle it all.

"John..." Arthur began, leery.

"Arthur..." John shot back, almost playful, testing Arthur's resistance by gently pushing his legs apart.

Arthur let it happen, swallowing thickly in apprehension.

"Are you going to call him Daddy too?" Tatiana snickered.

John managed to salvage it, though Arthur's face turned shamed and sick.

"Yeah Arthur," He said, a little breathless - and it was on purpose, "Are you going to call me Daddy, too? I'd really like that. Not fair that Tommy gets it."

"Especially not after giving you sloppy seconds." Tatiana taunted.

John could kill her. He would kill her. And Tommy could go fuck himself for getting Arthur into this. He hated that shamed, hurt look on Arthur's face.

John did his best to erase it. Leaned down to kiss Arthur, remaining close as he pushed inside. He drunk in Arthur's face at the intrusion, making sure he hadn't hurt him. Arthur was doing his best to hold back any expression at all.

"It's so good Arthur." John informed, grunting a little, and Arthur whimpered at that.

No longer moaning, Arthur had managed to get a better hold on himself.

"Call him Daddy, like he asked." Tatiana ordered.

Arthur ignored her until the gun barrel rose briefly to aim at John.

"Daddy." the word sounded like it'd been pulled from him, voice like gravel.

John moaned loudly at it, trying to quell any shame Arthur felt from saying it.

Arthur whimpered again at that, now watching John and trembling. John continued his slow push and pull thrusts.

Arthur began to rouse again very quickly, red-faced and expression caught between unsure and an unchecked pleasure.

"Can I touch your cock?" John asked plainly, not bothering to pretty the words up.

Arthur's face went redder, like he was about to explode, and John almost felt sorry for asking.

"We're in this together Arthur." He said instead, not upsetting the rhythm of his languid thrusts in the slightest.

"o-okay." Arthur said, voice nearly breaking.

That got him moaning again.

John wanted Arthur to say his name, but he wouldn't voice it lest the Russians enforce it. He was careful not to let his anger translate into any of his movements.

And ah, there, his trick had worked.

Arthur arched into one of his thrusts clumsily, trying to fasten the slow pace. Before he could be mortified about it though, John pressed in a little firmer, grabbed at Arthur's ass to squeeze, and moaned like he couldn't help it.

Arthur was startled, open mouthed, so helpless looking. He was wet too, dripping with Tommy's seed and open on John's cock. Pleasure overcame him and his legs jerked instinctively, finally coming to wrap around John's naked waist and pull him closer.

"I-" Arthur tried to explain himself, "s-s-"

Sorry, is what John knows he was going to say.

But John wasn't going to have it.

"Oh, Arthur" he just said instead, voice low and awed. He wanted to tell him how pretty he looked, how fine boned like a small bird, how porcelain with spots of red on his cheeks, stark freckles and bright eyes. But John shouldn't say these things, he knew.

Arthur only watched him wide eyed, a wet sheen beginning to coat his eyes. He looked...grateful, incongruously.

"He fucks just as pretty as he looks." Tatiana said, but her words were directed at Izabella, almost conversational.

As if he wasn't raping his big brother over a fucking desk.

And Tommy - he had forgotten about Tommy - sat on the windowsill, smoke trembling in his hands. Despite which he looked completely collected. His eyes didn't leave Arthur's face though, like he'd seen a ghost.

"John" Arthur pleaded breathily, voice cracking, "John, please."

"Don't you worry about a thing love." slipped out, but John couldn't worry about it.

Not while Arthur was writhing underneath him, locking them together with his legs.

And always, there was consideration of the gun. That John might jar Arthur too hard - it was unthinkable.

But Arthur was getting rather restless as he approached orgasm and John worried.

"Stay still." He ordered, and held Arthur's hips down - lifting himself up to push down and breach him deeply. He did it again and again until Arthur shuddered, spilling over himself. Just the sight made John cum.

"What a good fuck!" Tatiana clapped, gun leaving the target. "And your face Arthur, such a picture."

Arthur tensed at that, no doubt coming to his senses now that it was all finally over. Only, John hadn't extricated himself yet and though he was soft enough to slip out Arthur's legs still caged him.

"Come on Arthur." Tommy said softly, after a moment, appearing at their side to gently pry Arthur's stiff legs from around John.

Arthur's face. And there was tears in his eyes as he stood shaky as a colt, brushing off their help. He stumbled a little bit around the room to his clothes, but his fingers didn't grasp them properly and he kept dropping them.

"Inside every man there is a devil." Tatiana sighed, looking between Tommy and John, "After every successful examination we have a party. You will be staying, won't you? Or I have scared you off?"

"Yes," Tommy said shortly, "We will be staying. We need a few moments alone."

Tatiana nodded like that was reasonable, arched an eyebrow at Tommy as she and her mother left.

The only sound in the room was Arthur's sniffles and his repeated dropping of his clothing.

"Let me help." John said, approaching slowly.

Still, Arthur reared back like a cornered animal.

"Just to get your clothes on." John clarified and at that Arthur seemed to consider before nodding shortly, not looking at either of them.

Arthur's hands were clumsy and hindered more than they helped. His shoulders stooped and there were fresh tear tracks down his cheeks. He wiped at them angrily, moving decidedly away from John who began to gather his own clothes.

"I-I'm not fucking weak." Arthur spat at them.

"No one's said that Arthur." Tommy said firmly, and it came out wrong, condescending - because usually he used that tone to make Arthur feel small, and it was almost a default.

It set Arthur off.

"Yes! You're thinking it! 'Fucking Arthur, can't do anything fucking right'...can't...can't protect his little brothers and - should've used a gun. Isn't that what you said to me Tommy? Should've used a gun that time to kill myself. And I - I should have let her shoot me. Why didn't I...why didn't I?"

The last part was small, confused.

John hated to think about those times. About the bruises around Arthur's neck.

"Listen to me Arthur-" Tommy began, seriously.

Arthur rounded on him then, looking straight at him for the first time that it struck Tommy dumb.

"Why? Because you have a plan? Like you had a plan for this? Like you didn't snap your fingers at me, telling me to take my clothes off for them?"

The anger was expected, John and Tommy were used to waiting it out in normal circumstances. Only, this wasn't a normal circumstance.

"Arthur..." John began.

"Don't John." Arthur warned, strangled, unable to look at either of them once again.

And then Tommy did the stupidest thing, in John's opinion.

"You called me 'Daddy'." Tommy enunciated very clearly as he spoke.

That brought Arthur up short, and he gulped. Once and then twice.

"We're not going to talk about it and you're not going to tell anyone." Arthur commanded but it was desperate.

John immediately moved to reassure him, said, "Of course we're not going to fucking tell anyone."

Just as Tommy said, "Not gonna happen."

"We can discuss it later," John clarified to Arthur, meeting Tommy's gaze with his own, "but we are not going to tell anybody."

"Did he touch you?" Tommy got out, determined.

"No." Arthur said emphatically.

"Not here, Tommy. He's had enough today." John tried.

"He never!" Arthur shouted, face red.

"Arthur," John said pityingly, in the face of such a bold faced lie, "We watched him smack you around every second day."

"H-he never touched me like that." Arthur stuttered out, crossing his arms protectively in front of himself.

"Then why did you call me Daddy?" Tommy persisted, as if he was sure Arthur were lying.

"I don't know, it slipped out. I never expected to say it. I just wanted to feel loved and you made me...feel...I can't explain it. But he never...not that." Arthur's explanation was a confused mess and he grasped his own arms tightly in discomfort, as if trying to hurt himself.

John couldn't take it. When he enveloped Arthur in a hug he half expected to be thrown off but instead Arthur leaned into him, sniffled into his shoulder.

"Russian bastards." He whispered.

"It's alright." John said, rubbing soothing circles into his back with one arm.

Tommy approached, seemed to hesitate at the threshold but then crossed to give Arthur a hug.

He couldn't seem to stop touching him after that - a hand bringing up Arthur's chin, clasping Arthur's shoulder, stopping Arthur's fidgeting hand with his own.

"I swear to you Arthur I'm going to make this right." Tommy said.

"Nothing like this is ever gonna fucking happen again." John added.

Arthur nodded, wiping at his tears in embarrassment.

"John, take him home." Tommy commanded, finally extricating himself. "I've made them wait too long."

"I'm not going home." Arthur said sternly, "I-I'm not the weak one."

"Of course not Arthur." Tommy said, after a long moment of silence, in what was almost regret.

John's face showed his unhappiness but he checked himself quickly, for Arthur.

"No way Tommy could do it without you."

He squeezed Arthur's hand that he was still holding.

Tommy and John exchanged a glance but Arthur caught it and his expression quickly swam in embarrassment.

Instead of facing them though he quickly charged out the door, into the waiting arms of the Russians.

"The Duke is going to love you." Tatiana said.

Arthur bravado'd his way through it.

"Everyone loves me sweetheart."

Tommy and John shared another glance.

"We're not sharing him." John said.

And it shouldn't be like it this, shouldn't have happened like this or at all. John expected Tommy to be shocked, maybe even disgusted with him. And he was shook up, just as much as Tommy, but he knew what he wanted.

"I'm older." Tommy said instead, holding John's gaze - looking for all the world like he was going to make a claim, before he strode calmly away.


End file.
